University of Leeds, Year 1

It has been several months since I started the BSc Aviation Technology with Pilot Studies course in September

2013. I came here with great expectations and enthusiasm, that I will meet like minded people who share the same passion of aviaiton and becoming a pilot is their dream. All of that supported with a strong academic background.

WAIT. it is a Russell Group university and it awards you with a BSc degree, so do expect academic work to be done, rather than pilot training and expect sitting with chemical engineering and nano-technology students on most of the modules taught.

*The Library has a wide range of books on flight training. That is one of the best parts of the education here!

At the start of the course there are four compulsory modules to be undertaken:

1. Technical Skills & Application – it is this module to make the transition between high school and university. Lectures on academic integrity, referencing, etc and writing lots of reports on fluid flow, electrical circuitry, beam bending, data analysis etc. Most of the time you ask yourself - "what am I doing here building up pipe systems and writing lab reports instead of flying". This module ended with the end of the first semester, thousands of words written, hundreds of hours spent in the library researching on engineering topics and a group research project of the 737-800 aircraft with the use of a Merlin FNPT1 simulator, which was there for us to conduct tests with it, but at the end gave us nothing more than a touch of a simulator flying.

2. Engineering Materials – learning about properties, structures, failure modes of materials etc. Again, studied with another 150 students from different courses and is based on this book. The module finished with a test and a coursework, for which we had to choose three parts of an aircraft, describe them and make a materials selection for them using a specialized software. The module is just for the first semester, but introduced us to a lot of information and chemistry concepts.

3. Introduction to aviation – one of the really aviation related modules in the first semester. Everything was covered from the historical development of the aviation, aerodynamics, aircraft designs to the operation of a modern jet engine. It is a Semester 1 and 2 module, but the difference being that in the second semester Meteorology is taught. The Jet Engine Book by Rolls Royce was highly recommended by the lecturer as a book we must have :) (.pdf)

4. Theoretical Knowledge for PPL – Semester 1 and 2 module teaching the theory required for the Private Pilot licence with an introductory presentations briefly covering the subject studied at the moment and then leaving you with time to study from the Pooley’s books( available in the library) and sitting an exam after few weeks time. I found studying from the PPL books easier and more useful than the CBT training offered by Oxford (which I used for my PPL). Each of the exams is a CAA one, counting as an university as well, which makes it possible to pass the exams while here at university. The subjects are spread over the year and the focus is just on two of them at a time, then exams and pass onto the next ones up to the end of the year.

At the beginning of the year I had to choose two additional optional Semester 1 modules. The options were Foundation Maths, Introduction to Surface and Air Transport, Foundation Physics, and Management.

I am now at Semester 2 and continue with the PPL theory module, Introduction to Engineering Science, Mathematical Techniques and Meteorology(part of the Introduction to Aviation module).

I was very pleased by the Aviation Society here as they have organized quite a few training organizations (CTC, OAA, FTE Europe, ProPilot…) to come on campus and make presentations.

The university has three simulators – a FNPT1 Merlin engineering simulator, FNPT2 simulator and a fixed A320 simulator. None of them are used actively throughout the first year, but they are there for us, although they experience frequent technical issues.

We can use the FNPT2 simulator for our IR training by just paying for the instructor (usually from Advanced Flight Training (AFT) - a company that works with the university to provide flight training for students), reducing the total cost of the training and the A320 sim is used by the third – year student for their dissertations.

In January there was one exam on “Introduction to Surface and Air Transport” and in June there will be university exams on “Introduction to Aviation”, “Aviation Engineering Science” and “Mathematical Techniques 1”

Not sure what university exams look like? Click here.

Have a taste of what university lecture slides look like by clicking here.

In the summer we have 10hrs of flight training for free at Sherburn Aero Club, which can be added towards the hours needed for the PPL issue. Most people take those hours and continue their licence completions with AFT, based at the Sherburn-in-Elmet airfield.

In conclusion, I have to say that it is a truly university experience, incorporating a piece of pilot training and not the other way around. If I have to choose again, I would better consider other options, such as completing my pilot training first or selecting a differently structured course. The university degree is an additional financial cost, to which accommodation and living expenses are added as well.

#Training #University